Crypt form



Fb. 2, 1965 B. R. GAUSE 3,167,839

BRUCE ii. GAUSE A TTORNE YS.

I BY I k United States Patent 3,167,839 CRYPT FORM Bruce R. 'Gause, San Jose, Calif., assignor to Carl N. Swenson Co., Inc., San Jose, (lalif. Filed Nov. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 154,564 6 Claims. (Cl. 25-430) The present invention relates to concrete molding forms, and pertains more particularly to a form for mold ing crypts for cemeteries.

The practice of employing crypts instead of graves is becoming increasingly prevalent. This trend is believed to be due largely to two causes: (1) The acquisition of suitable additional land for cemetery use in densely populated areas is becoming increasingly expensive and difficult, and (2) many survivors of deceased persons prefer to have the body sealed in a crpt, rather than buried in the ground. Since in crypts coflins can be placed side by side in relatively close proximity, and several tiers high, great economy of space is thus achieved. Furthermore, although sometimes initially more expensive than an ordinary grave, a crypt requires little or no upkeep, and when a grave is provided with even a medium priced headstone, even the initial cost of interment in a grave is frequently greater than in a crypt.

' The present invention provides an improved molding form which greatly simplifies and facilitates the molding of crypts from concrete.

The invention also provides a collapsible form for shaping the interior of a crypt cell, and permits the rapid construction of an entire tier of uniform and smoothly contoured crypt cells.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved, collapsible, reuseable form for molding the interior of a crypt cell.

These, and other objects and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a portion of a structure comprising two tiers of crypt cells, the internal forms having been removed from the lower tier of cells, portions being broken away.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view in slightly enlarged scale of the forward or entrance end portion of an upper of one of the crypt cells of FIG. 1, and the upper portion of a lower one of said cells, sealing slabs being shown seated in the forward ends of the cells, but not cemented in place.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view in further enlarged scale of a form for molding the interior of one of the crypt cells, the parts being shown in their assembled position when the form is set up for pouring of cement thereover to form a cell, portions being broken away.

FIG. 4 is a front end elevational view of the form shown in FIG. 3, a nail for attaching a corner cove being removed.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG.- 4 with the concrete poured to form a crypt cell.

FIG. 6 is a View similar to FIG. 5 with the transverse bracing members removed, the broken lines at the bottom showing the wedges removed and the center post dropped to lowered position by the removal of the wedges.

' FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 showing the wire loops severed to release the center beam and to free the hinged top portions for downward swinging movement free of the top of the molded crypt cell.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 5-7 showing the sides of the mold swung inwardly free of the cell walls.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a door recess form.

Briefly, the invention comprises a mold A, having similar, but reversed, side wall structures 10 and 10a. To

"ice A each side wall structure 10 and 16a is hingedly connected a top structure, 11 and 11a, respectively. Three transverse bracing members 12, 12a and 13 are provuided for holding the lower ends of the side wall structures 10 and 10a in properly spaced relation when the form is set up for use. A center beam 14 is provided for mounting between the inner edges of the two hinged top structures 11 and 11a, and is supported in flush alignment with the top structures 11 and 11a by center posts 15, which in turn are mounted on pairs of opposed wedges 17 and 18.

A pair of encircling wire loops 19 and 13a are passed around the two top structures 11 and 11a, and the center beam 12 positioned therebetween, and are drawn taut as by twisting their ends together at 20 so as to urge the encircled parts firmly together during the molding of a crypt cell B, and to facilitate removal of the form A after a cell has been molded.

Cylindrically curved corner coves 21 and 21a are provided of suitable sheet metal, and are lightly tacked one along the upper corner of each form A. In building a tier C of crypt cells B, a plurality of the molds A as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are erected in laterally spaced relation on a fiat surface such as a cement floor 22 provided therefor, or upon the flat upper surface of a preceeding tier Ca of crypt cells previously molded.

Suitable enclosing side and end retaining forms of a conventional type, a fragment F of which is shown in FIG. 2, are provided in a Well known manner around the cell forms A, and a shallow rectangular door recess form 24 (FIG. 4) for forming a recess 25 for a door slab 27 (FIG. 2), is tacked over the forward end of each cell form A. The concrete is then poured as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5-8 to enclose the cell forms A, after which the concrete is leveled ofl? in a well known manner to pro vide a fiat top surface 28. After the concrete has hardened all forms are removed. Thus, successive tiers of cells may be molded by repeating the foregoing procedure and re-using the same forms A until a desired number of tiers have been provided.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, each eel form A comprises the two side wall structures 10 and 10a, which are identical to each other, but reversed. The side wall structure 10 only will be described in detail, the same reference numerals being applied to corresponding parts of the other side wall structure 10a, with the suflix a added thereto.

The side wall structure 10 comprises three upright frame members 31, 31 and 32, all of which may be of 2 x 4" lumber. Each of these upright frame members is rounded on its upper, outer corner 33 by a radius equal substantially to the width of the member. The lower end of each upright frame member is beveled upwardly and inwardly at 34 to facilitate removal of the form from a completed cell as will be made apparent later herein. A rigid side panel 35, which may be of suitable plywood, is permanently secured to the outer sides of these upright frame members, and extends from the lower ends thereof to the initial point of curvature of their rounded upper ends 33.

Three transversely extending, top frame members 37, 38 and 39, which also may be of 2" x 4" lumber, are pivotally connected by axially aligned bolts 40 to the upper ends of the upright side frame members 30, 31 and 32, respectively. The upper outer corners of these top bracing members are also rounded olf similarly to the upper outer corners 33 of the upright side frame members.

A stringer 41 is secured transversely across the inner or free ends of the top frame members 37, 38 and 39, and a top panel 42, which may be of plywood similar to the side panels 35, is permanently secured to the top of the er 41. This top panel 42 extends from a point flush with the inward or exposed face of the stringer 41 to the initial point of curvature of the rounded end portions of the transverse frame members 37, 33 and 39.

A bracing strip 43, preferably of angle iron, is secured along the upper,'inner edge of the hinged top structure 11 to resist warping and nicking of this edge. The outer edge of the top panel .42 is preferably beveled upwardly and inwardly as is also the upper edge of the side panel 35.

The center beam 14 is of such a Width that when it is interposed to-extensively between the horizontally aligned hinged top structures 11 and 11a it will provide a desired lateral separation between the. upper ends of the side structures 11) and a. cal thickness equal to the width of the stringers 41 and 41a of the top structures 11 and 11a, and a plywood strip 44 of the same thickness as the top panels 42 and 42a;

is secured, to the top of this center beam so that when the top stringers 41 and 41a and the center beam 14 are supported on a common, flat, horizontal surface, such as the transverse heads 45 of the three T-shaped support'posts 15 the top surface of. the center beam 14 will be flush with the top surfaces of the two top structures 11 and 11a.

Each T'-s'haped support post 15 is of a length somewhat less than the desired, height of the center beam 14 and stringers 41 and 41a above a flat floor surface upon which a cell B or: a tier C of cells is to be built when the form A is erected on such surface as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

A pair of the wedges 17 and 18 are fitted, in opposed, overlapping relation, beneath each center post 15. By adjusting the wedges relatively inwardly or outwardly as required, thecenter posts may be raised or lowered to bring the entire top assembly including the top structures 11 and 11a and the center beam 14 into aligned condition.

A pair of the wire loops'19 and 1911, which may be of soft iron wire, are then-passed around the top panels 11 and 11a and the center beam 14 interposed therebetween,

and are twisted firmly together to draw these loops taut,

and thereby to urge all parts of the top assembly together as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The three transverse bracing members 12, 12a and 13 are then fitted transversely across between each of the laterally opposite pairs of upright side frame members to thereby-space the lower ends of these framemembers a desired distance apart. Each of the two forward transverse bracing members 12 and 12a comprises a strip 47, which may be of 2" x 4" lumber, of a length tofit snugly between each of the two forward pairs of upright side frame members 31. and 31a, and 32 and 32a. Plates 48 are secured one to each end of each of the transverse strips 47, and these plates overlap the side frame members against which the ends of the transverse strips 47 abut. Nails 49 tack the plates 48 to the upright side frame members which they overlap, while other nails 50 may be used to tack the strips 47 to the center posts 15. A transverse bracing strip 13 is removably attached by bolts 57 to the rear upright rear side frame members and 30a to hold the latter is similarly spaced relation.

The cylindrically curved sheet metal corner cove members 21 and 21a are then placed in position, one along each corner of the form A as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the beveled edges of the side and top plywood panels 35 and 42 adjacent thereto facilitating the placing of these cove members in properly centered relation, in outwardly spaced relation to the rounded ends of the bracing members of the top and side wall structures, and flush with the side and top panels 35 and 42. These corner cove members 21 and 21a-are tacked to the upper ends of the upright side frame members 30, 31 and 32 by nails 52, which are of a length to penetrate only sufliciently into these side frame members to hold the cove members in place during the pouring of the concrete.

Each desired form A is erected as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and as described previously herein, and an enclosing form, ofa well known type, a fragment 56 of which This center beam 14 is of a verti-- is shown in FIG. 2, is erected in a usual manner to surround these forms and thus provide the rectangular or other desired external shape for a tier C of crypt cells to be molded. Since the manner of designing and building of such enclosing form structures is well known, and is within the routine capabilty of any architect, engineer, or carpenter familiar with forms for molded concrete struc; tures, a detailed. illustration and description thereof is omitted fromthe present disclosure.

The shallow, box-like door recess form 24, which is of a depth to extend from the enclosing form F (FIG. 2) to the form'A with which it is associated, is tacked to the forward end of each form A as indicated in FIG. 2, and a back plate 54 which may be of plywood, and which is shaped to conform to the rear end of the form A, is tacked lightly to the upright rear side frame members 31) and 36a of each form A by nails 55 (FIG. 2) which may 'be'withdrawn from within the cell B' after it has been molded around the form A.

Concrete is then poured in a usual manner around the forms A to mold a first tier Ca of crypt cells B as illustrated in FIG. 1, the conventional surounding side and end forms, as indicated by the fragment F thereof, obviously having been removed from the structure illustrated in FIG. 1. Also, such tying wires and reinforcing steel (not shown) as may be required, and in accordance with accepted practice, are embodied in the concerte in a well known manner. After pouring, the concrete is leveled off on top, also in a well known manner, to form the flat horizontal top surface 23 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5-8), which will serve as a floor for a succeeding tier C of cells if desired.

After theconcrete has been allowed to set a sufiicient length of time to, insure thatit has adequate self-supporting strength, the side and end forms, indicated by the fragment F, are removed as shown-in FIG. 1, and the shallow, rectangular, box-like door recess forms F are withdrawn from the entrance ends of the crypt cells B to leave the formsA exposed substantially as shown in the upper tier C in FIG. 1, and also in FIG. 5.

The cell forms A are then removed from their respective cells B, preferably in the sequence shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. First, the two; forward transverse bracing members 12 and 12a are removed by withdrawing the nails 49 and 50 which tack them to the upright side frame members and the center posts, respectively. The rear transverse bracing member 13 is also removed by removing the. nuts from the bolts 57 which attach the transverse member 13 to the upright side frame members 30 and 30a and withdrawing the member 13 from these bolts. The nails 55 which tack the rear upright side frame members 30 to the back plate 54 are also removed. The wedges 17 and 18 are knocked from beneath the center posts 15, and the wedges and center posts are removed, the wire loops 19 and 19a preventing the center beam 14 from dropping onto a workman performing this work. The workman then cuts the rear encircling wire loop 19, and emerges from the cell B. He then reaches in and with his arm clear of the center beam 14, cuts the remaining forward wire. loop 1%. This releases the center beam 14, which thereupon drops to the floor of the cell, assisted, if necesary, by a few taps with a hammer. The hinged top structures 11 and 11a also swing downwardly about the bolts 40 as pivots as shown in FIG. 7.

The side forms 10 and 10a may then be tilted inwardly at their upper ends as shown in FIG. 8, the c1earanceprovided by the inward spacing of their upper ends from the cove strip and the beveled lower ends '34 of the side frame members 30, 31 and 32 permitting these assemblies to be swung easily inwardly as shown in FIG. 8. Since the nails 52 which attachthe sheet metal coves 21 and 21a to the side frame members were only lightly tacked thereto, as specified previously herein, this inward swinging of the side assemblies as shown in FIG. 8 is easily accomplished, the nails 52 being withdrawn from the upright side frame members 30, 31 and 32 during this operation, and leaving the cove members lightly adhering to the concrete of the cell. The wires 19 and 1911 are then stripped from the concrete, as are also the cove members 21 and 21a. The back plate 54 may be either left in place in the cell or removed, as desired.

The door slap 27 may be molded of concrete in a conventional manner, and after a casket has been inserted in the cell, the door slab is inserted in the recess 25 provided by the shallow, rectagnular form F, and is permanently sealed in place by means of a suitable mortar or other material.

The invention provides a simple, inexpensive form for the molding of crypt cells, and one which can be easily and rapidly fabricated in a woodworking shop by relatively unskilled workers. Since the forms are re-usable, it is only necessary to make forms for one tier of cells, after which large numbers of tires of cells can be molded using the same forms.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood, however, that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims:

1. A crypt form for mounting on a flat, horizontal, permanent fioor surface, said for-m comprising a pair of generally similar side wall structures each of a height slightly less than the finished height of a crypt cell to be molded thereon, and each having a smooth outer surface, a pair of top structures each having a smooth top surface, hinge means hingedly connecting the upper end of each side wall structure to a side edge of one of the top structures, the axis of each hinge means being spaced inwardly and downwardly from the outer and top surface, respectively, of each hingedly connected side wall and top structure when said structures are erected at right angles to each other in crypt molding position, means for supporting the top structures in horizontal, aligned position with the side wall structure connected to each thereof substantially upright, the outer edge of the top surface of each top structure being spaced inwardly from a plane defined by the outer surface of its associated side wall structure when such top and side wall structures are erected in crypt molding position substantially at right angles to each other, a break-away cove strip of sheet metal mounted substantially co-extensively with the outer surfaces of the spaced edges of each hingedly connected side wall and top structure when the latter are erected in crypt molding position, and sealing off the space between adjacent edges thereof, each cove strip being spaced outwardly from the hingedly connected side wall and top structures interiorly thereof to provide clearance between the hingedly interconnected portions of each side and top structure and the cove strip, the lower end of each side wall structure being beveled upwardly and inwardly from the outer surface thereof to permit inward tilting of each side wall structure and its hingedly connected top structure after hingedly swinging each top structure downwardly and outwardly toward its associated side structure, and breaking said structures free from their associated cove strip to thereby free the form for removal from the interior of a concrete crypt cell molded over said form.

2. A crypt form for mounting on a flat, horizontal, permanent floor surface, said form comprising a pair of generally similar side wall structures each comprising an inner frame and an outer panel secured thereto, each side wall structure being of a height slightly less than the interior height of a crypt cell to be molded thereon, a pair of top structures, each comprising an underneath frame and a top panel secured thereto, hinge rneans hingedly connecting the frame of each top structure to the upper end of the frame of one of the side wall structures for swinging each top structure between a crypt molding position at right angles thereto and a relatively down-swung position, the axis of each hinge means being offset diagonally inwardly and downwardly from the intersection of projections of the outer surfaces of each hingedly connected pair of top and side structures, the outer and upper edges of the panels of each hingedly connected pair of top and side structures being spaced apart outwardly of their hinge means when said panels are erected at right angles to each other in crypt molding position, a breakaway cove strip of sheet metal spanning and sealing off the space between each outer side panel and its associated top panel, and spaced outwardly from the hinge means hingedly interconnecting the frames of such top and side structures, and removable means for supporting the top structures with the latter in horizontally aligned relation with each other, and with their respective, associated side wall structures upright, whereby, when said form has been covered with concrete and the concrete has set, upon removal of the support means the hinge means are free within the space spanned and sealed off by the cove strip to permit the top structures to swing downwardly about the hinge means, and the side wall structures, being of less height than the interior of the crypt cell molded thereon, are free for tilting inwardly within said same space.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the hinge means are spaced inwardly from the cove strip by a distance approximately equal to the thickness of one of the panels.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the outer and upper edges of the panels of each hingedly connected pair of top and side panels are beveled, and the side edges of each cove strip are supported on outward portions of such beveled edges.

5. A crypt cell form for mounting on a flat, horizontal, permanent floor surface, said form comprising a pair of generally similar side wall form structures of a height slightly less than that of a crypt cellto be molded thereon, a top form structure for hinged interconnection to each side wall structure, hinge means hingedly connecting the laterally outward edge of each top structure to the upper end of one of the side wall structures for swinging downwardly and outwardly from a position at right angles thereto, each top structure terminating short of an upward extension of the outer surface of each side wall structure when said structures are erected at right angles to each other in crypt molding position, a break-away cove strip mounted substantially flush with the outer surfaces of each hingedly connected top and side wall structure and spanning the space therebetween in outwardly spaced relation to the hinge means interconnecting such structures to provide clearance exteriorly of the hinge means when removing the structures from a crypt cell molded thereon, a beam interposed between the two top structures when the latter are assembled in laterally aligned, crypt molding position, a plurality of wire loops at spaced intervals lengthwise of the assembled form, each loop enclosing the two top structures and the beam interposed therebetween and subjected to substantial ten sion, thereby drawing the top structures toward each other and urging them into compressive engagement with the interposed beam to thereby support the top structure and prevent any portion thereof from dropping onto a workman operating interiorly of a concrete crypt cell molded about the crypt form.

6. A crypt cell form for mounting on a fiat, horizontal, permanent floor surface, said form comprising a pair of generally similar side wall structures each being of a height slightly less than the interior height of a crypt cell to be molded thereon, a top structure for hinged interconnection to each side wall structure, hinge means hingedly connecting a side of each top structure to the upper end of each side wall structure for swinging downwardly and Wall structures respectively when said structures are erected in crypt-molding relation substantially at right angles to each other, :the upper outer portion of each side Wall structure and its associated top structure beyond their interconnecting hinge-means being relieved inwardly Within a radius shorter than that from the axis of the hinge means .to the outer surfaces of the side Wall and top structures when the latter are erected in crypt molding position, a break-away cove strip of sheet metal sup ported on, and lightly connected substantially co-ext'ensively with the outer surfaces of each side Wall and its associated top structure and enclosing such relieved portions in radially outwardly spaced relation thereto,

thereby to provide clearance betwen such relieved portions and a crypt cell molded thereon to facilitate remov-' ing the form from the interior of a crypt cell molded thereon, and removable support means for supporting the top structures with the latter in horizontally aligned relation with each other, and with their associated side Wall structures substantially upright.

ReferencesCited in the, file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,241,124 1 Jordahl Sept. 25, 1917 1,254,919 Marqua et a1. Jan. 29, 1918 1,285,295 Marqua Nov. 19, 1918 1,325,261 Ortseifen Dec. 16, 1919 1,327,081 Branson et a1 Ian. 6, 1920 1,470,673 Ambursen Oct. 16, 1923 1,598,840 Zucco Sept. 7, 1926 1,647,202 Smith Nov. 1,- 1927 2,206,493 Whatling July 2, 1940 7 2,892,237 Nelsen et al June 30, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 288,356 Great Britain Mar. 26,. 1928 156,689

Australia May 24,; 1954 

6. A CRYPT CELL FORM FOR MOUNTING ON A FLAT, HORIZONTAL, PERMANENT FLOOR SURFACE, SAID FORM COMPRISING A PAIR OF GENERALLY SIMILAR SIDE WALL STRUCTURES EACH BEING OF A HEIGHT SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE INTERIOR HEIGHT OF A CRYPT CELL TO BE MOLDED THEREON, A TOP STRUCTURE FOR HINGED INTERCONNECTION TO EACH SIDE WALL STRUCTURE, HINGE MEANS HINGEDLY CONNECTING A SIDE OF EACH TOP STRUCTURE TO THE UPPER END OF EACH SIDE WALL STRUCTURE FOR SWINGING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM A POSITION AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO, THE AXIS OF THE HINGE MEANS BEING SPACED DIAGONALLY DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY FROM THE LINE OF INTERSECTION OF EXTENSIONS OF THE TOP AND OUTER SURFACES OF THE TOP AND SIDE WALL STRUCTURES RESPECTIVELY WHEN SAID STRUCTURES ARE ERECTED IN CRYPT-MOLDING RELATION SUBSTANIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER, THE UPPER OUTER PORTION OF EACH SIDE WALL STRUCTURE AND ITS ASSOCIATED TOP STRUCTURE BEYOND THEIR INTERCONNECTING HINGE MEANS BEING RELIEVED INWARDLY WITHIN A RADIUS SHORTER THAN THAT FROM THE AXIS OF THE HINGE MEANS TO THE OUTER SURFACES OF THE SIDE WALL AND TOP STRUCTURES WHEN THE LATTER ARE ERECTED IN CRYPT MOLDING POSITION, A BREAK-AWAY COVE STRIP OF SHEET METAL SUP- 